Most of the time, stakeholders are not interested in how we solve their problems as long as we ethically play by the rules. Instead, they are interested in the regular delivery of valuable Increments as these pave the road to business agility. However, there is no business agility without technical excellence, which brings us to today’s topic: the importance of an actionable Definition of Done.
Learn more about twelve success principles of employing such a Definition of Done as a Scrum team to help your organization become agile.
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The Scrum Guide frequently mentions the Definition of Done to underline the importance of a widely known and accepted quality standard for a successful Scrum team and organization. There is no business agility to be earned without technical excellence and high product quality—both are reflected and supported by the Definition of Done.
The Scrum Guide characterizes the Definition of Done as follows:
“The Definition of Done is a formal description of the state of the Increment when it meets the quality measures required for the product.”
“The moment a Product Backlog item meets the Definition of Done, an Increment is born.”
“The Definition of Done creates transparency by providing everyone a shared understanding of what work was completed as part of the Increment. If a Product Backlog item does not meet the Definition of Done, it cannot be released or even presented at the Sprint Review. Instead, it returns to the Product Backlog for future consideration.”
“If the Definition of Done for an increment is part of the standards of the organization, all Scrum Teams must follow it as a minimum. If it is not an organizational standard, the Scrum Team must create a Definition of Done appropriate for the product.”
“The Developers are required to conform to the Definition of Done. If there are multiple Scrum Teams working together on a product, they must mutually define and comply with the same Definition of Done.”
Source: Scrum Guide 2020.
While an adequate Definition of Done does not guarantee a Scrum team’s success, its absence certainly accelerates its failure.
Without a Definition of Done, the quality of a Scrum team’s work will likely vary widely, and the level of undone or low-quality work will accumulate over time, contributing to a rising level of technical debt and increasingly inhibiting your agility.
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The purpose of the Definition of Done is to allow the Scrum team to regularly deliver valuable Increments, which team members and stakeholders can subsequently inspect compared to the established, well-understood quality standard.
In the context of a successful Scrum team and organization, building Increments to the specifications as defined by the Definition of Done means that the team can deliver a done Increment into the hands of the customers. Moreover, delivery happens without any legal, ethical, or financial repercussions. In that respect, a Definition of Done tailored to the context of a Scrum team, its organization, and customers is the cornerstone of any form of business agility.
From that perspective, let us skip the rookie mistake of not having a Definition of Done in the first place and delve right into twelve winning principles to reap the benefits of a Definition of Done to your team’s and organization’s advantage:
The Definition of Done is an essential stepping stone for the Scrum team to deliver an Increment of expected quality. It provides a good return on investment from the team’s perspective and should guide the Scrum team towards accomplishing the Product Goals. Neglecting the Definition of Done will slowly but steadily erode the team’s capability to solve the customers’ problems, its reputation, and its contribution to the organization’s sustainability.
How are you dealing with the Definition of Done? Please share your learnings with us in the comments.
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